Holy Rule Daily Meditation is a Public Group with 1044 members.

Primary Navigation

4341Holy Rule for Oct. 7

Expand Messages

Br. Jerome Leo

Oct 6, 2013

0 Attachment

+PAX

Prayers for Monica M. for a safe delivery of baby # 12, due in early
November but will probably deliver sooner, severe back pain and fatigue.
Prayers also for her husband Danny and children Danny Jr., Matthew, William,
Hyrum, Simin, Joseph, Hanieh, Lucy, Laura, Danica and Jodi.

Lord, help us all as You know and will. God's will is best. All is mercy
andgrace. God is never absent, praise Him. Thanks so much.
JL

February 6, June 7, October 7Chapter 7: On Humility

The
ninth degree of humilityis that a monk restrain his tongue and keep
silence,not speaking until he is questioned.For the Scripture
showsthat "in much speaking there is no escape from sin" (Prov.
10:19)and that "the talkative man is not stable on the earth" (Ps.
139:12).

REFLECTION

OK, if you are a parent, you cannot speak to
your children only whenthey question you. The therapy bills in later years
would beastronomical. There are many situations in a Benedictine life
livedin the world, among non-monastics, where this has to be altered,
butits kernel of truth must be discovered and maintained.

WHY do we
talk needlessly? Quite often it is nothing more than atrick to change the
reality around us. We are bored, or we feel weare not getting enough
attention or we think the mood too heavy, sowe speak to change whatever
annoys us at the moment. I should know.I am infamous for creating my own
entertainment when things seemdull to me. That's not always a great
idea...

Some tough moments, some difficult stuff are meant to be
endured.They are part of our necessary learning and growth. Ever notice
howwe assess a child's maturity by its ability to be quiet and
non-fidgety in surroundings (like Church!) that do not spoon feed
itsattention span? Well, the same is true of us at every stage. We
doourselves harm if we defuse every single tense moment with a word
ortwo. We cheat ourselves.

All too often we speak only to remind the
universe around us, whichhas carelessly forgotten for a second that we are
its center, of awhole bevy of falsehoods: I am the cutest, smartest, or
wittiest, Ihave the solution to all of this. What folly on the part of
theentire cosmos to forget our importance! Better speak to clear
thematter up...

Those who know me are thinking: "HE wrote THIS?!?"
Yes, alas, I amguilty of all I wrote. Three times a year the Holy Rule
reminds me ofthat and each time I am aware that I need to work on it. Thanks
be toGod, the Rule IS read three times a year: usually by the time
thenext reading comes up, my interest has flagged and I have to
startover. As for the part about the talkative not being "stable on
theearth," well, there have been times in the last 20 yearswhen God had
to nail my feet to the floor to keep me faithful and I amnot dead yet... I
have not always been His most willing pupil, butoh, is He ever patient! And
infinitely merciful!

But, as one Desert Father said, that's what we do
all day inmonasteries: "We fall down and we get up."